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Come As You Are (Nirvana) guitar tone and amp settings

Come As You Are guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3: Clean amp type, low gain (Gain 3.5), balanced lows (Bass 5), even mids (Middle 5), neck pickup.

Tuning: D standard

Settings for your amp

Pick a reference amp

The song has distinct sounds: Small clone chorus intro, Verse. Each rig below lists what to change for them.

Come As You Are settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3 settings for every song

These settings play the small clone chorus intro, verse.

AmpBOSS Katana 50 Gen 3

VariationOff
Amp TypeClean
Gain3.5
Volume6Set for a useful signal level before the master.
Bass5
Middle5
Treble5
Booster0
Mod ColorGreen
Mod5.5
FX0
Delay0
Reverb0
Set to your roomMaster
Set to your roomPower Control

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorNeck
Volume10Full output for a steady amp response.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Variation
Off
Amp Type
Clean
Gain
3.5
Volume
6
Bass
5
Middle
5
Treble
5
Booster
0
Mod Color
Green
Mod
5.5
FX
0
Delay
0
Reverb
0
Master
Set to your room
Power Control
Set to your room

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Neck
Volume
10
Tone
7

Come As You Are settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40

Positive Grid Spark 40 settings for every song

These settings play the small clone chorus intro, verse.

AmpPositive Grid Spark 40

Amp TypeGlassy
Gain5
Bass5
Mid6
Treble5
Set to your roomMaster
Mod5
Delay0
Reverb1
Set to your roomOutput
App Amp ModelTweed Bassin the app, optional
App DriveOffin the app, optional
App Comp/WahOffin the app, optional
App Mod/EQCloner Chorusin the app, optional
App DelayOffin the app, optional
App ReverbOffin the app, optional

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output feeds the amp for the intended amount of breakup.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Type
Glassy
Gain
5
Bass
5
Mid
6
Treble
5
Master
Set to your room
Mod
5
Delay
0
Reverb
1
Output
Set to your room
App Amp Model
Tweed Bass
App Drive
Off
App Comp/Wah
Off
App Mod/EQ
Cloner Chorus
App Delay
Off
App Reverb
Off

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
7

Come As You Are settings on a Fender Mustang LT25

Fender Mustang LT25 settings for every song

These settings play the small clone chorus intro, verse.

AmpFender Mustang LT25

Amp ModelBASSMANin the menu
Gain5.5
Volume6Set the preset level without changing the core tone.
Treble5.5
Bass5.5
Middle5.5in the menu
Set to your roomMaster
StompNonein the menu
ModCHORUSin the menu
DelayNonein the menu
ReverbNonein the menu

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorBridge
Volume10Full output for a firm amp response.
Tone6
The same settings in text

Amp

Amp Model
BASSMAN
Gain
5.5
Volume
6
Treble
5.5
Bass
5.5
Middle
5.5
Master
Set to your room
Stomp
None
Mod
CHORUS
Delay
None
Reverb
None

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Bridge
Volume
10
Tone
6

Come As You Are settings on any amp with Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble

These settings play the small clone chorus intro, verse.

Amp

Gain4
Bass5
Mid6
Treble5

GuitarElectric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup SelectorNeck
Volume10Full output keeps the amp responsive and the riff clear.
Tone7
The same settings in text

Amp

Gain
4
Bass
5
Mid
6
Treble
5

Electric guitar with two humbuckers

Pickup Selector
Neck
Volume
10
Tone
7

Add a chorus pedal for the watery Small Clone sound.

The control panel of a vintage guitar amplifier, close up

Why it sounds like that

Guitar strings over the frets, close up

Kurt Cobain's washy sound on this song comes from his Small Clone, basically a flangy chorus box that sounds wide and watery. The same watery effect is heard on Teen Spirit too. His guitars were double-tracked, which gives the sound even more width. The intro is in D standard tuning, a whole step down, which gives the guitar a darker tone. A Small Clone chorus pedal complements that darker tone.

  • Use down-up alternate picking, moving the hand from the wrist, to play the riff.

What gear did Kurt Cobain use on Come As You Are?

A guitarist’s pedalboard, a dozen pedals cabled together

Kurt Cobain

Effects
Electro-Harmonix Small Clone[1]

Kurt Cobain · Small clone chorus intro

Effects
Electro-Harmonix Small Clone[3]
  • Butch Vig said Kurt Cobain's guitars on 'Come As You Are' were double-tracked, which gave the sound more width. (on this song)[1]
  • Butch Vig said the washy sound on 'Come As You Are' came from Kurt's Small Clone, basically a flangy chorus box that sounds wide and watery. (on this song)[1]
  • Butch Vig said the Small Clone's watery effect is on 'Come As You Are' as well as on 'Teen Spirit'. (on this song)[2]
  • Butch Vig said the amps primarily used on Nevermind were a Mesa Boogie, a Fender Bassman and a Vox AC30. (on the album Nevermind)[1]
  • Small clone chorus intro: Guitar World says Kurt Cobain's intro is played in D standard tuning, a whole step down. (on this song)[3]
  • Fender Play says 'Come As You Are' is in D standard tuning, a whole step down. (on this song)[4]
  • Small clone chorus intro: Guitar World says a Small Clone chorus pedal complements the darker tone that D standard tuning gives the guitar. (on this song)[3]
  • Guitar World recommends down-up alternate picking, moving the hand from the wrist. (on this song)[3]

Questions

What gear did Kurt Cobain use on Come As You Are?

The sources on this page document Kurt Cobain's gear on Come As You Are by Nirvana: effects, Electro-Harmonix Small Clone [1]. Each value cites the numbered source it comes from, listed at the foot of the page.

What are the Come As You Are settings on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3?

For the Come As You Are guitar tone on a BOSS Katana 50 Gen 3, set Amp Type Clean, Gain 3.5, Volume 6, Bass 5, Middle 5, Treble 5, Booster 0, Mod Color Green, Mod 5.5, FX 0, Delay 0, Reverb 0; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Neck, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Power Control to your room. These settings play the small clone chorus intro and verse. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Come As You Are settings on a Positive Grid Spark 40?

For the Come As You Are guitar tone on a Positive Grid Spark 40, set Amp Type Glassy, Gain 5, Bass 5, Mid 6, Treble 5, Mod 5, Delay 0, Reverb 1, App Amp Model Tweed Bass, App Mod/EQ Cloner Chorus; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 7. Set Master and Output to your room. These settings play the small clone chorus intro and verse. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What are the Come As You Are settings on a Fender Mustang LT25?

For the Come As You Are guitar tone on a Fender Mustang LT25, set Amp Model BASSMAN, Gain 5.5, Volume 6, Treble 5.5, Bass 5.5, Middle 5.5, Stomp None, Mod CHORUS, Delay None, Reverb None; on the electric guitar with two humbuckers, Pickup Selector Bridge, Volume 10, Tone 6. Set Master to your room. These settings play the small clone chorus intro and verse. They are AI-assisted starting points; adjust them by ear on your own amp.

What tuning is Come As You Are in?

Come As You Are by Nirvana is played in D standard, according to the cited source [3][4]. Tune to it before you set the amp, or the riff will not sit right against the record.

Can I get the Come As You Are tone on my own amp?

Yes. The settings above cover 3 reference amps and any amp with the basic controls. For your exact rig, KnobMaster, an iPhone app, sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for Come As You Are, using only the controls your gear has.

Get it for your exact rig

KnobMaster sets every knob of your own amp, guitar and pedals for this song.

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